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They include bankruptcies, destroyed livelihoods, domestic violence, severe anxiety, trauma, PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse, serious illnesses, suicides, massive lost of plant and wildlife, and vast ecological destruction from toxic oil and dispersants, in combination more deadly than separately.
Louisiana fisherman Elmer is like many thousands, saying:
"I'm not asking for the world. I'm just asking for something to live on, man....At Thanksgiving, I was under review. My kids barely ate. I barely ate. Christmas came. My child is 13 years old. She got nothing. You know what she woke up to? No water (and) no power. What do you want me to do? Get on my knees and beg for it? Look, I'm here. I'm on my knees for it. I need my money sir, to live."
Alabama oyster fisherman Nga Da said:
For 20 years, "I earned $1,500 - $2,000 a month. I received $1,000 a month for two months from BP. Then I got $800 for a month afterwards. Then I received nothing for the past five months."
As a result, he borrowed money to pay rent. BP's claims facility offered a lump sum $5,000 for not suing, "but I don't know the future because there is no prospect for employment because most of the processing companies have closed."
Another resident's poignant sign read:
"Remember our way of life It's OIL gone."
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